Kevin Durant still believes he’s the best in the world

Let’s say you’re one of the presidential candidates that isn’t the leader in the polls for your party. Let’s say that someone asked you if you were the right person for the job. You’d say “Yes, of course, and here’s why” because otherwise, why would you be running? Also, if you were to say “Well, this other person might be more qualified, but I really want it and I think I’d do a good job, too,” that doesn’t speak well of your confidence.
Confidence is something that can be the downfall of anyone, but it’s also essential for everyone who wants to be successful. You don’t have to do a psychological study to reveal that, but if you wanted one there’s about 500 of them.
And so it goes that while Kevin Durant was in Spain, someone asked him if he still thinks he’s the best player in the world. Spoiler alert: he does!

What’s Durant going to say, there? “Well, I mean, I’m pretty good, but honestly if you look at it, LeBron’s won four MVP, drug that sorry Cavs team to the Finals and put up 30-point triple-doubles in multiple games. He can guard all five positions and remains otherworldly in nearly every aspect of the game. So it’s probably him?”

Or “I mean, Steph Curry can shoot 3-pointers off the dribble like no one in existence, and he just won the NBA title and MVP. He’s probably the best.”
No, he’s going to say himself. Because the minute that Durant admits to himself he’s not good enough, that’s the moment he can’t be the best player in the world.
Durant won the MVP a year ago. There were many that felt he had surpassed LeBron. Since then, we’ve learned that’s premature. James is still the best player on the planet, and until Durant shows he’s healthy, you need to give Steph Curry consideration as well, along with Anthony Davis, James Harden, and maybe one or two others. But that’s not what Durant can say. That’s not what Durant can feel. For him, there’s only one answer. He can’t just say it, he has to believe it. That’s how confidence works. The good news is that he does feel that way, and as a result, maybe this is the season where he can really, finally claim that title when next June comes around.
The NBA season begins in 50 days